Student’s Perspective On UW’s Proposed Slogan: “It Inspires Me.”

Dual major in marketing and dance performance as well as the marketing coordinator for the campus activity center, Hannah Ellis, sat down with me in the studio to discuss the discussion about the new campus slogan, how it fits into a bigger marketing campaign, and how she feels about the slogan itself as a student of the University of Wyoming.

"There's been a lot of controversy in using the slogan "The World Needs More Cowboys," Ellis said, "Some people are totally in support of it based on the fact that it's our school's mascot, and many people in Wyoming are in support of it because they understand that kind of cowboy spirit, but we're definitely having controversy about whether it's sexist or racist, but I think it's important to clear that up because I don't think that's necessarily accurate."

Ellis, who couldn't say enough about her appreciation for the campaign from the point of view of a marketing student herself, said that some people are missing the point regarding the slogan's message. "Cowboys are resilient, they're hard-working, they're determined, they're dedicated, they're adventurous, and they're ready to take risks, and I think that's the spirit that the slogan is trying to embody."

Hannah was one of the students invited to watch the pitch of the new marketing campaign from Colorado-based company Victor and Spoils. The University paid the company $500,000 for the campaign, of which the slogan is the only part that has been leaked.

"There were quite a few people from all over different areas of the university and a couple of students, including myself," Ellis went on to explain, "And I was just so inspired when I was in there. It was an amazing campaign and I'm sad that it kind of rolled out the way it did, because it wasn't intended to come out until about September 14th."

The campaign includes a plethora of complete marketing materials, including "billboard ads, an incredible video, different live events, print advertisements and all kinds of things that no student at the university would capability of doing on their own," Ellis explained. She addressed the viewpoint of many people on this issue that the students should have taken the helm of the slogan and saved the University some money, but as a Marketing Student, she says that she recognizes how much work went into the finalized campaign and how students wouldn't have the time or resources to provide such a polished finished product.

To any critics of the prematurely-released slogan, Hannah as this to say: "Be open minded and not take the slogan as The world needs more "Typical Cowboys," but the world needs more "Modern Cowboys," to embody the cowboy spirit. The whole campaign is so inspirational and it makes me want to work harder and do better and take more risks and embody that Cowboy spirit while I'm here at campus."

What do you think about the new UW slogan? Are you excited to see the finished campaign when it rolls out later this summer?